Hierarchical Porous Carbons from Polysaccharides Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Bacterial Cellulose, and Citric Acid for Supercapacitor

Abstract

This study reports excellent supercapacitor performance of hierarchical composite porous carbon (HPC) materials successfully fabricated by one-step carbonization and activation process derived from polysaccharides carboxymethyl cellulose, bacterial cellulose, and citric acid. The resultant HPC displayed unique porous nanosheet morphology with high specific surface area (2490 m2 g-1) and rich oxygen content (7.3%). The developed structures with macropores, mesopore walls, micropores, and high oxygen content led to excellent electrochemical performance for electrode of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). In a three-electrode system, the HPC electrode showed a high specific capacitance of 350 F g-1, good rate performance, and excellent cycling stability. The energy density of supercapacitor based on HPC was comparable to or higher than that of commercially supercapacitors. More importantly, two series-wound devices were easy to light light-emitting diode (LED, 3.0 V). These results suggest that the current material is a promising candidate for low-cost and eco-friendly energy storage devices.